Can and method of making the same



CAN AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAFE Filed Feb. 6. 1929 I Fig. 1.

5 3 lnvenTor Harry Sebell byafiuwd WAM' Arfys.

Patented Apr. 14, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY SEBELL, OFIBOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSTGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ARTHUR H. PARKER, OF LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS CAN AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Application filed February 6, 1929. Serial No. 337,937.

This invention relates to a can of the type in which the can end is formed from an end member and a sealing wire that is interposed between the end member and the can body and I which is soldered to both, said sealing wire be ing so constructed that it can be torn away from the end member and the can body when the can is to be opened.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel can of this type which is so constructed that the sealing wire can be readily torn away from the end member body with the application of a small amount of force.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved can of this type in which when the sealing wire has been torn away from between the end member and the can body, said end member will still remain con nected to the can body at one point, said connection affording a hinge by which the end member may be swung back out of the way.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of making a can having the above features.

Still further objects are to improve generally cans as will be more fully hereinafter set forth.

In order to give an understanding of'the invention I have illustrated in the drawings 0 a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a can end embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a reduced top plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View of the sealing wire removed and before it is applied to the can;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the end of the can;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of Fig. 1 on a reduced scale showing the end member in position but with the sealing wire removed.

The drawings show a can comprising a body member 1 anda can end which is formed 45 by the end member 2 and the sealing wire 4: that fills the gap or space between the end member and the can body and is soldered to both. The end member 2 is made smaller than the interior diameter of the can throughout the greater portion of its periphery so that when said end member is in place in thecan body there will be a space or gap 3 existing between the periphery of the end member and the can body throughout the greater portion of said periphery. This space is filled by the sealing wire a which is soldered or otherwise secured to both the end member and the can body.

In the embodiment herein shown the end member 2, which as stated above, has a diameter less than that of the can body so that when the end member is in place there will be a gap or space 3 existing between the periphery of the end member andthe can, has an extension 5 which is of a radial dimension equal to, the width of the gap 3. The peripheral extent of the extension 5 isonly a small fraction of {)he entire peripheral length of the endmem When this end member is in place in the can the edge 6 of the extension 5 will engage the wall of the can body while the circular edge 7 ofthe end member is spaced from the wall of the can. The end member is shown as being formed with an annular depending flange 8 although this is not essential. This flange 8 extends around the circular edge 7 of the end member from one side of the extension 5 to the other thereof. 7

When the end member is to be attached to the can, said end member is placed in position in the can as seen in Fig. 5 and the edge 6 of the extension 5 of the end member is soldered or otherwise secured to the can body by means usually employed in securing the ends in cans. The sealing wire 4 is then placed in the gap 3 and is soldered or otherwise secured to both the end member and can body thus closing the end of the can. The sealing wire is made With a loop portion 9 through which pulling strain maybe applied to the wire to tear it from the end memher and body when the can is to be opened.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention the wire is bent to form the parti-circular portion 12 which is of a length to fill the gap 3 and overlap the extension 5 for a limited distance at each side thereof as shown at 10 and also to form the loop portion 9. The seali g Wire 4 is ho n with its ends 11 meeting at some point in the parti-circular portion 12, the loop 9 being formed from an intermediate portion of said wire.

The shape of the wire before it is placed in the can is illustrated in Fig. 3 and as stated above the process of securing. the end member 2 to the can consists in first assembling the end member and the can body and then soldering or otherwise securing the edge 6 of the extension 5 to the canbody and after- 7 wards placing the shaped sealing wire in position with the circular portion 12 thereof filling the gap 3 and with the loop 9 resting on the top of the end member, and then soldering or otherwise securing the sealing wire to both the end member and can body. The wire will be so formed or bent that the circular portion 12 will extend slightly beyond the ends of the gap 3 or the side edges 14 of the extension 5 and will overlie the said extension 5 on each side for a limited distance as shown at 10. V

In soldering the wire to the can the soldering operation will be carried just beyond the edges 14 of the extension 5 but not to the bend or angle 13 of the wire, the solder stopping at approximately the points 15. This is of considerable importance because it facilitates the opening of the can. The fact that the wire is free from the end member at the corners 13 provides a construction in which the tearing of the wire from the end member and can body can be initiated with a relatively light pull. If the wire was so formed that the bends 13 were located directly at the edges of the extension 5 then it would be necessary to use a considerable quantity of solder at this point to effect an hermetic seal and the pressure of this extra quantity of solder would make it very difficult to initiate the operation of tearing the wire from between the can and end member.

With the construction shown, however, where the wire extends over the extension for a distance as shown at 10 the soldering operation does not have to be carried clear to the bend 13 in order to make a tight joint and hence a relatively light pull on the loop 9 will serve to initiate the operation of tearing the wire from the can and end member.

When the wire has been completely torn away from the can and end member the can cover will still be attached to the can body along the edge 6 and thisattachment provides a hinge for the cover or end member which will permit it to swing up out of the way if the contents of the can are to be poured out.

An advantage of forming the loop 9 from an intermediate portion of said sealing wire is that said loop presents a smooth unbroken surface to be grasped by a person when opening the can.

In forming the end member 2 the extension 5 will preferably be depressed or olfset slightly as shown in Fig. 1 so that the wire may pass from the gap onto the extension without any very abrupt bends.

I have referred to the element 4 as a sealing wire. This term, however, is intended to be descriptive of a member whether of actual wire form or not which may be used as an insert to till the gap 3, and hence the expression used in the claims is not intended to be limited to an actual round wire.

I claim:

1. A can having a can body, and a can end comprising an end member which is connected throughout a limited portion of its periphery directly to the can body and is spaced from the can body throughout the remaining portion of its periphery, and a sealing member filling the space between the end member and can body and sealed to both.

2. A can having a can body, an end member of a diameter somewhat less than the interior diameter of the can so that when the end member is in position the periphery thereof will be spaced from the inner wall of the can body, said end member having at one point a peripheral extension which engages the wall of the can body and is soldered thereto, and a sealing wire filling the gap between the end member and the can body 1 and soldered to both, said wire being adapted for removal to open the can.

3. A can having a can body and a can end, said can end comprising an end member of a diameter somewhat less than the interior diameter of the can so that when the engages the wall of the can body and is so1-- dered thereto, and a sealin .wire filling the gap between the end mem er and the can body and soldered to both, said wire over lapping said extension and being bent to provide a loop which maybe grasped to tear the wire away from the can and the end member when the can is to be opened.'

4. A can having a can body, an end member of a diameter somewhat less thanthe interior diameter of the can body, whereby the periphery of the end member isspaced from the inner wall of the. can body, said end member having a radial extension, the radial dimension of which is equal to the width of the space between the periphery of:

the end member andthe can body, said extension engaging the interior wall of the can body and being sealedthereto with an hermetic seal, and a sealing wire filling the body and soldered to both, said wire extending beyond each side edge of said extension and overlapping the edge portions thereof, such overlapping portions being connected by a loop which overlies the end member but is disconnected therefrom.

. spaces between the end member and the can 5. A can having a can body, an end member of a diameter somewhat less than the interior diameter of the can body, whereby the periphery of the end member is spaced from the inner wall of the can body, said end member having a radial extension, the radial dimension of which is equal to the width of the space between the periphery of the end member and the can body, said extension engaging the interior wall of the can body and being sealed thereto with an hermetic seal, and a sealing wire filling the spaces between the end member and the can body and soldered to both, said wire extending beyond each side edge of said extension and overlapping the edge portions thereof, a part only of each overlapping portion of the wire being soldered to the extension and said portion being connected by a loop which overlies the end member and by which the sealing wire may be grasped to tear it from the can end when the can is to be opened.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL. 

